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Dear Keith,
you are testing every day. Recently a sensei told us: "aikido is like the real life. It is all about content, not about grading"

Yes, there are good reasons for being tested. But as long as you feel improving, you are on a valid path. There might be faster ones, but in the end we all will meet on the same mount Fuji.

Maybe your aikido could have been better, maybe you missed some tools to solve some tasks.

But what are you thinking you can take with you after leaving earth? Make up your mind, set your own preferences and make your own decisions. That is all you can do. grading is good, but content is important.

..........I've just been training on and off for what seems like eons, well, 6 years actually............:

I guess it really depends on how much off over that period!!

Quote:

Keith Krajewski wrote:

..........I've started up again for the winter though, and I have a good feeling about it this time (work and school schedules permitting)!!!.......

Why only for the winter?

If you're only a part time player, I wouldn't worry about grading. Put in some serious training time over a good period and see where you get to, but even then I wouldn't worry about grading. It's not about grading, it's all about what you put into the art.

rgds

Bryan

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"

Hi Keith, just a few observations based on your comments here and in your blog...any amount of training is better than no training... you don't have to dedicate you life to it or strive to master it, just enjoy it... is it time management or motivation that is the cause of your on and off training?... rank is so different by different schools as to be nearly meaningless... judge your progress, not the color of your belt... There are NO advanced techniques in aikido... advanced is the basics just done better... it may be helpful to check out some other aikido schools in your area... I can think of one really good one in the orlando area, there are probably several others in your general area...
i agree with Dirk... every time you step on the mat is testing...